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H2s And Homocysteine Control A Novel Feedback Regulation Of Cystathionine Beta Synthase And Cystathionine Gamma Lyase In Cardiomyocytes., Shyam Sundar Nandi, Paras K. Mishra

Journal Articles: Cellular & Integrative Physiology

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), a cardioprotective gas, is endogenously produced from homocysteine by cystathionine beta synthase (CBS) and cystathionine gamma lyase (CSE) enzymes. However, effect of H2S or homocysteine on CBS and CSE expression, and cross-talk between CBS and CSE are unclear. We hypothesize that homocysteine and H2S regulate CBS and CSE expressions in a dose dependent manner in cardiomyocytes, and CBS deficiency induces cardiac CSE expression. To test the hypothesis, we treated murine atrial HL1 cardiomyocytes with increasing doses of homocysteine or Na2S/GYY4137, a H2S donor, and measured the levels of CBS and CSE. We found that homocysteine upregulates CSE …

The Interaction Of Scale And Temperature In Elastically Powered Movements, Jeffrey P. Olberding

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

For many animals, rapid movements place high power demands on underlying muscles. Storage of muscle energy in elastic structures and the subsequent rapid release of that energy can effectively amplify muscle power. Elastic recoil can also confer thermal robustness to performance in behaviors occurring at variable temperatures. Muscle contractile performance tends to decrease at lower temperatures, but elastic recoil is less affected by temperature. Here I examine the impacts of temperature and scale in systems using elastic recoil and I explore possible interactive effects on movement performance.

I explored the role that muscle contractile properties play in the differences in …

The Effects Of Fluoride Ions On Neuromuscular Activity And Regeneration In Dugesia Tigrina, John Williams Jr.

Georgia Journal of Science

Fluoride ions have been implicated in numerous nervous system pathologies, though the association of these ions with these conditions has been controversial. The purpose of this research is to determine the effects that fluoride ions have on the nervous system development and function in planarians as a simple model for fluoride-nervous system interactions. In the first set of experiments, planarians were exposed to one of four concentrations of sodium fluoride: 0 mM, 1 mM, 1 mM, and 5 mM. In the second set of experiments, planarians were bisected and exposed to 1 mM of NaCl and NaF for regeneration purposes. …

Hypersensitivity Of Vagal Pulmonary Afferents Induced By Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha In Mice, Ruei-Lung Lin, Qihai Gu, Lu-Yuan Lee

Physiology Faculty Publications

Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), a pro-inflammatory cytokine, plays a significant role in the pathogenesis of allergic asthma. Inhalation of TNFα also induces airway hyperresponsiveness in healthy human subjects, and the underlying mechanism is not fully understood. A recent study reported that TNFα caused airway inflammation and a sustained elevation of pulmonary chemoreflex responses in mice, suggesting a possible involvement of heightened sensitivity of vagal pulmonary C-fibers. To investigate this possibility, the present study aimed to investigate the effect of a pretreatment with TNFα on the sensitivity of vagal pulmonary afferents in anesthetized mice. After TNFα (10 μg/ml, 0.03 ml) …

A Microfluidic Approach To Measuring Endothelial Cell Migration

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Pathological angiogenesis or new vessel growth plays a key role in a number of diseases including tumor growth and several eye diseases that can lead to blindness. While antiangiogenic therapies have been developed for many of these pathologies, there remains a pressing need for more effective anti-angiogenic therapy with fewer side-effects. Capillary morphogenesis gene 2 (CMG2) has been shown to play an important role in angiogenesis and is a potential target for future anti-angiogenic therapies. To better understand the physiological role of CMG2 and to accurately compare how well different CMG2 antagonists inhibit endothelial cell migration (the putative mechanism for …

Elucidation Of Mechanisms Whereby Embryonic Chicken Limbs Develop, James Broadbent, Jeffery Barrow

Journal of Undergraduate Research

As established by John Saunders 60 years ago, the AER is required for limb growth and patterning. However, the mechanisms whereby the AER regulates these processes remain poorly understood. My professor and I propose that one of the primary roles of the AER is to regulate directional growth of the adjacent limb mesenchyme. Over time, the AER extends along the anteroposterior (AP) and thins along the dorsoventral (DV) axes. These results highlight a morphogenetic paradigm: the dimensions of recruitment signaling centers ultimately shape organs. This model also provides mechanistic insight for evolutionary change. We also show that sonic hedgehog (Shh) …

Development Of A Directed Forward Genetic Screen Using Crispr Libraries, Robert C. Russell, Johnathon Hill

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Thousands of genes control the development of our bodies. These genes must be activated at the proper place and time in order for development to proceed correctly. The technique that we are developing will improve our ability to identify such genes, thus providing insights to the mechanisms underlying development processes. One in 33 live births in the United States is impacted by a birth defect. Of these, congenital heart defects (CHDs) are the most common, affecting nearly 1% of births in the United States.1 For this reason, we are developing a technique that will identify key contributors in heart development.

Costs Of Group Locomotion: How Infant-Carrying And Group Members Mediate Walking Speed Decisions In North American And East African Populations, Leah M. Bouterse

Honors Projects

A major portion of humans’ activity-based energy expenditure is taken up by locomotion, particularly walking. Humans can offset the energetic expenditure of walking in numerous ways, both evolutionary (such as changes in body shape) and culturally. Behaviorally, people can choose to walk in a variety of ways, including alone or with a group, carrying loads, and walking quickly or more slowly. All of these behaviors have energetic outcomes and as such can be important windows into how populations and groups adjust to different constraints. While sex differences in speed of paired walkers have been established by others, the dynamics of …

Understanding Birth Defects By Establishing Glutathione Ontogeny In A Chick Embryo Model, Ryan Mackay, Dr. Jason Hansen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Most chemicals known to cause birth defects have been shown to induce oxidative stress – a disruption in intracellular redox signaling. The overall purpose of this research is to better understand how environmental/chemical insults that cause oxidative stress result in specific malformations. Since the tripeptide glutathione (GSH) is an abundant antioxidant and important mediator in redox state and signaling, the goal of this project was to measure levels of glutathione during early embryonic development in order to determine when embryos are more susceptible to environmental and chemical stresses. Changes in the amount of GSH will affect the sensitivity of cells …

Combating Anemia And Other Iron Related Deficiencies Through Iron- Efficiency In Soybeans, Miranda Ruth, Bryan Hopkins

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Plants uptake iron from the soil in a variety of ways. Dicots, like soybeans, primarily exude hydrogen (H+) ions and chemical reductants from their roots, which acidify the root zone and reduce Fe³⁺ to Fe²⁺ that can then be utilized by the plant (Brown and Jolley 1989). Iron efficiency in soybeans results in increased dietary iron for those eating the beans. Anemia, which is due to a dietary lack of iron, is an extremely serious health problem that affects much of the world, especially developing countries. Globally, over 30% of the world suffers from this lack of dietary …

Soil Water And Temperature Effects On Resilience Resistance Of Sagebrush Steppe Plant Communities, Trevor Gruwell, Bruce Roundy

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Project Purpose-The purpose of this project was to evaluate the effects of environmental factors on overall resistance and resilience of the sagebrush steppe community. Resistance is defined as a system’s ability to avoid change after a disturbance has taken place and resilience is defined as the ability of a system to return to its natural state after a disturbance has taken place.

The Mechanistic Requirements Of Passive H+ Import Through The Na, K-Atpase, Kevin S. Stanley

Theses and Dissertations

This work focuses on the elucidation of the mechanism of passive proton import through the Na,K-ATPase. This enzyme uses the energy in ATP hydrolysis to exchange three intracellular Na+ for two extracellular K+ to maintain ion gradients within the cell, and while in the absence of physiological external Na+ and K+, the phosphorylated externally open (E2P) conformation passively imports protons, generating an inward current (IH). Chapter one reports on the effects of intracellular cations and nucleotides to shift the Na,K-ATPase into the E2P conformation. We identified that a combination of either internal Na+ and ATP or K+ and Pi. In …

Body Mass Index Associations Between Mother And Offspring From Birth To Age 18: The Fels Longitudinal Study, Stacie S. Swanton, Audrey C. Choh, Miryoung Lee, Lloyd L. Laubach, Jon K. Linderman, Stefan A. Czerwinski, Matthew J. Peterson

Health and Sport Science Faculty Publications

Background: Parental obesity is a known determinant of childhood obesity. Previous research has shown a strong maternal influence on body mass index (BMI) during infancy and early childhood.

Objectives: The purpose of this research was to investigate the BMI associations between mother and offspring from birth to age 18 years.

Methods: Participants were selected from the Fels Longitudinal Study. The current study sample includes 427 (215 mother/son and 212 mother/daughter) mother/child pairs. These pairs are repeatedly measured at multiple age groups in children, resulting in a total of 6,263 (3,215 mother/son, 3,048 mother/daughter) observations for data analysis. Inclusion criteria were …

Chronic Inflammatory Diseases And Green Tea Polyphenols, Helieh S. Oz

Physiology Faculty Publications

Chronic inflammatory diseases affect millions of people globally and the incidence rate is on the rise. While inflammation contributes to the tissue healing process, chronic inflammation can lead to life-long debilitation and loss of tissue function and organ failure. Chronic inflammatory diseases include hepatic, gastrointestinal and neurodegenerative complications which can lead to malignancy. Despite the millennial advancements in diagnostic and therapeutic modalities, there remains no effective cure for patients who suffer from inflammatory diseases. Therefore, patients seek alternatives and complementary agents as adjunct therapies to relieve symptoms and possibly to prevent consequences of inflammation. It is well known that green …

Outcomes Of Spatially Fractionated Radiotherapy (Grid) For Bulky Soft Tissue Sarcomas In A Large Animal Model, Michael W. Nolan, Tracy L. Gieger, Alexander A. Karakashian, Mariana N. Nikolova‑Karakashian, Lysa P. Posner, Donald M. Roback, Judith N. Rivera, Sha Chang

Physiology Faculty Publications

GRID directs alternating regions of high- and low-dose radiation at tumors. A large animal model mimicking the geometries of human treatments is needed to complement existing rodent systems (eg, microbeam) and clarify the physical and biological attributes of GRID. A pilot study was undertaken in pet dogs with spontaneous soft tissue sarcomas to characterize responses to GRID. Subjects were treated with either 20 Gy (3 dogs) or 25 Gy (3 dogs), delivered using 6 MV X-rays and a commercial GRID collimator. Acute toxicity and tumor responses were assessed 2, 4, and 6 weeks later. Acute Radiation Therapy Oncology Group grade …

Prenatal Undernutrition, Metyrapone, And The Cerebrovasculature, Lara Durrant

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The link between intrauterine environmental conditions and adult cardiovascular system is well established. Independent of lifestyle factors such as poor diet and exercise habits, individuals who have been exposed to stressful conditions in utero show an increased risk of health problems such as hypertension, stroke, and type II diabetes. In support of the Fetal Origin of Adult Disease hypothesis, many labs have reported permanent anatomical and physiological changes associated with fetal stress and nutrient deficiency, with a focus on organ systems such as the kidney and heart. One key idea proposed by many of these studies is the glucocorticoid hypothesis, …

A Novel Micro Cold Atmospheric Plasma Device For Glioblastoma Both In Vitro And In Vivo., Zhitong Chen, Hayk Simonyan, Xiaoqian Cheng, Eda Gjika, Li Lin, Jerome Canady, Jonathan H Sherman, Colin Young, Michael Keidar

Pharmacology and Physiology Faculty Publications

: Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) treatment is a rapidly expanding and emerging technology for cancer treatment. Direct CAP jet irradiation is limited to the skin and it can also be invoked as a supplement therapy during surgery as it only causes cell death in the upper three to five cell layers. However, the current cannulas from which the plasma emanates are too large for intracranial applications. To enhance efficiency and expand the applicability of the CAP method for brain tumors and reduce the gas flow rate and size of the plasma jet, a novel micro-sized CAP device (µCAP) was developed …

The Efficacy Of Tgfβ Inhibition Via Sgi-1252 In The Prevention And Reversal Of Diet-Induced Obesity And Diabetes, Blake Dallon, Benjamin Bikman

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The growing worldwide incidence of obesity and its associated pathologies, like type 2 diabetes, has received much deserved attention. However, despite this attention and substantial research efforts, little meaningful progress has been made in slowing or reversing the growing cost and trends of obesity worldwide.

As of 2008, almost 10% of medical costs in the United States were incurred due to obesity or other obesity-related diseases¹, with a substantial amount of this cost stemming from the dramatically increased risk of diabetes with excess fat mass². According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more …

Comparison Of Ventilatory Measures And 20 Km Time Trial Performance, Willard Peveler

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 10(4): 640-648, 2017. Performance threshold measures are used to predict cycling performance. Previous research has focused on long time trials (≥ 40 km) using power at ventilatory threshold and respiratory threshold to estimate time trial performance. As intensity greatly differs during shorter time trails applying findings from longer time trials may not be appropriate. The use of heart rate measures to determine 20 km time trial performance has yet to be examined. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of heart rate measures at ventilatory threshold (VE/VO₂ Plotted and VT determined …

Disulfide High Mobility Group Box-1 Causes Bladder Pain Through Bladder Toll-Like Receptor 4, Fei Ma, Dimitrios E. Kouzoukas, Katherine L. Meyer-Siegler, Karin N. Westlund, David E. Hunt, Pedro L. Vera

Physiology Faculty Publications

Background: Bladder pain is a prominent symptom in several urological conditions (e.g. infection, painful bladder syndrome/interstitial cystitis, cancer). Understanding the mechanism of bladder pain is important, particularly when the pain is not accompanied by bladder pathology. Stimulation of protease activated receptor 4 (PAR4) in the urothelium results in bladder pain through release of urothelial high mobility group box-1 (HMGB1). HGMB1 has two functionally active redox states (disulfide and all-thiol) and it is not known which form elicits bladder pain. Therefore, we investigated whether intravesical administration of specific HMGB1 redox forms caused abdominal mechanical hypersensitivity, micturition changes, and bladder inflammation in …

Effects Of Muscle Cooling On Ampk And Protein Synthesis In Skeletal Muscle, Kyle Lyons, David Thomson, Pdbio

Journal of Undergraduate Research

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is an intracellular protein that regulates many signaling responses including the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway, which increases protein synthesis1. Recent research suggests that cold-water immersion of the leg activates AMPK in skeletal muscle. It is not known whether cold directly activates AMPK in skeletal muscle or if the aforementioned results are due to systemic or hormonal responses. Furthermore, the direct effect of cooling on protein synthesis-related signaling in skeletal muscle has not been established. If cooling affects the activation of AMPK, then it could also affect mTOR. Therefore, the purpose of this study was …

Endocrine And Metabolic Effects Of Consuming Sugar-Sweetened Beverages: Preclinical And Clinical Studies", Peter Havel

Science Seminar Series

Peter J. Havel of the School of Veterinary Medicine at UC Davis will speak on his research on Endocrine and Metabolic Effects of Consuming Sugar-Sweetened Beverages: Preclinical and clinical studies at this Science Seminar Series lecture.

Effects Of Leucine Supplementation And Resistance Training On Myopathy Of Diabetic Rats, Carlos Eduardo C. Martins, Vanessa B. De S. Lima, Brad J. Schoenfeld, Julio Tirapegui

Publications and Research

Leucine supplementation and resistance training positively influence the protein translation process and the cell signaling mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) pathway that regulates muscle protein balance and muscle remodeling, and thus may be therapeutic to diabetic myopathy. However, the effect of a combined intervention has not been well studied. Forty male Wistar rats were divided into five groups, control (C), diabetic control (D), diabetic + trained (DT), diabetic + L-leucine (DL), diabetic + L-leucine + trained (DLT). The supplementation of 5% leucine in chow, and resistance training were conducted for 8 weeks postweaning of rats. The extensor digitorum longus was …

Capacitive Memory Alters Alternans And Spontaneous Activity In A Minimal Cardiomyocyte Model, Tien Comlekoglu, Seth H. Weinberg

Biology and Medicine Through Mathematics Conference

No abstract provided.

The Influence Of Age, Work Experience, Education Level, And Score On A Standardized Pre-Employment Competency Exam On The Outcome Of A Pre-Employment Polygraph Exam, David M. Torres

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This study examined the influence of age, work experience, education level, and score on a standardized pre-employment competency exam on the outcome of a pre-employment polygraph exam. Due to the strict selection requirements and competitive nature of sensitive government and public safety positions, organizations compete in the costly endeavor to hire qualified applicants efficiently and effectively. As these organizations fail to meet the required hiring levels, their responsibilities in public and national security cannot be carried out. This study was conducted in an effort to reduce the time and financial resources an organization must appropriate on applicants that cannot successfully …

Mathematical Modeling Of Normal And Abnormal Responses To The Valsalva Maneuver, Eric Benjamin Randall

Biology and Medicine Through Mathematics Conference

No abstract provided.

Can Cone Signals In The Wild Be Predicted From The Past?, David H. Foster, Iván Marín-Franch

MODVIS Workshop

In the natural world, the past is usually a good guide to the future. If light from the sun and sky is blue earlier in the day and yellow now, then it is likely to be more yellow later, as the sun's elevation decreases. But is the light reflected from a scene into the eye as predictable as the light incident upon the scene, especially when lighting changes are not just spectral but include changes in local shadows and mutual reflections? The aim of this work was to test the predictability of cone photoreceptor signals in the wild over the …

Using A Tnp Fluorophore To Identify Adenosine Binding In The Snap25b Snare Binding Protein, David Hallan, Dixon Woodbury

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Vesicle fusion is a key step in the cellular process of exocytosis and is at the center of neurotransmitter release by neurons. Fusion is driven by a set of proteins known as SNAREs which includes the protein SNAP25B.

In the synthesis and spectroscopic analysis of the SNAP25B protein, a strong, unexpected 260 nm peak has been seen. This 260 nm peak might correspond to DNA, RNA, or any other adenosine-containing molecule binding to SNAP25B. Previous work indicated that the 260 peak was not due to DNA or RNA. SNAP25B binding to an adenosine-containing substance could be the basis of an …

Drunken Membranes: Short-Chain Alcohols Alter Fusion Of Liposomes To Planar Lipid Bilayers, Jason Paxman, Dixon Woodbury

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The focus of my project was on understanding the effect of alcohol on the complex process of neural transmission, or how the body sends and receives signals through neurons. This essential communication occurs at junctions where neurons meet known as synapses. Essential to the process of sending any signal is the releasing of neurotransmitters into the synapse where they bind to receptors on the adjacent neuron. This releasing of neurotransmitter occurs through a process known as exocytosis. Exocytosis can only occur when neurotransmitter-containing vesicles fuse to the cell membrane. Alterations to the process of exocytosis can result in drastic consequences, …

Macrophages Are Necessary For Epimorphic Regeneration In African Spiny Mice, Jennifer Simkin, Thomas R. Gawriluk, John C. Gensel, Ashley W. Seifert

Biology Faculty Publications

How the immune system affects tissue regeneration is not well understood. In this study, we used an emerging mammalian model of epimorphic regeneration, the African spiny mouse, to examine cell-based inflammation and tested the hypothesis that macrophages are necessary for regeneration. By directly comparing inflammatory cell activation in a 4 mm ear injury during regeneration (Acomys cahirinus) and scarring (Mus musculus), we found that both species exhibited an acute inflammatory response, with scarring characterized by stronger myeloperoxidase activity. In contrast, ROS production was stronger and more persistent during regeneration. By depleting macrophages during injury, we demonstrate …